Three Years Ago

4th Mar 2019

Three Years Ago


This time three year's ago ( wow! is it really that long)  my Mother had been gone for just four weeks and I was trying to get life back on some sort of even keel. I'd decided to see dad as regularly as I could which, for me, meant more than before. And, although Dad was struggling without mum, he'd got plans to see people and had contacted some of the grandchildren to that end.
I could see a future where we could have precious times together .
These were very hopeful weeks which were to be cut short by his sudden death, just seven weeks after Mum's.
I am sorry we didn't get time .
I am sorry I didn't get all the stories.
I am sorry I didn't know him as well as I might have done.
I am sorry I didn't realise what a good man he was until he was no longer here. And the older I get the more admiration I have for him.
Miss you always Dad .
I have a lot to thank you for.
The best thing of all being my faith, which you passed on to me , probably without even knowing.
I remember being quite small, you banging the table and saying, that what moved you to the Catholic Faith were those words in the Gospel when Jesus says to Peter:
 "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church". That was enough for you for many years. And I always think of it .
It's helped my own prayer many times over the years.
I pray that you and I will get to talk about this again when time, for me, is no more.

Ten Things of Thankful 21st Jan 2109

21st Jan 2019

Today I'm joining the TTOT - Ten Things of Thankful . If you go to :

tenthingsofthankful.blogspot.com

you'll find others who are taking up the challenge.

I always find it difficult to get my life back on track in January.
It did occur to me that making resolutions at the beginning of the year is much too difficult , especially when you consider that we are usually tired with having lived through/survived the Christmas season. Now don't get me wrong I do love Christmas, but apart from Church involvement there's lot of socialising  with family and friends and of course, the overeating and drinking too much. And, because, as a family, we keep the twelve days of Christmas, ie 25th Dec- 6th Jan,  we are still celebrating when people are making their new year's resolutions. So, it doesn't quite work.
So my proposal is, let's start our new year at the beginning of February. It makes sense.
So, that's what I'm aiming for this year. It gives me a few more weeks to get myself together and get my head around what I might want to do to make improvements in my life in 2019.

I'm getting distracted. Here's my ten things of thankful :

1. For the daylight which is lengthening as each new dawn. This morning it was getting light at 6.45 where we live and in the afternoon yesterday it was after four before I had to put lights on at home. So, we're getting there. I love the journey into spring . Next month we'll have at least another hour of daylight. And then another two in march . I look forward to that so much.
2. Following on from the last one, I'm thankful for my eyesight that gives me so much pleasure. Even the colours as I look out of my window. The brown of the tress silhouetted against a blue sky, grey shadows of plants and fence on the green grass.   The sun glinting off the glass in my husband's studio. A little robin with his red breast sitting on the fence.
That I can see the smile of my husband and my children and grandchildren.
On my birthday some of them came to visit and what a picture it was see them together around the table - healthy and happy.
3. I'm thankful that I'm fit enough to go for walks - legs still good. And I'm particularly thankful that I did an 11 km walk with my daughter and future daughter in law last Saturday, along the clifftop with the sea a glassy picture to our left ( well, to our right on our way back, obviously) and a beautiful view of Reculver Towers (look it up). It was such a precious time. We talked, laughed and encouraged each other. What happy memories we make

4. I'm thankful for the enjoyment of good books and that I belong to a book group that pushes me to try things that otherwise I might not. We've just read THUG ( The Hate You Give) by Angie Thomas. Unexpectedly I enjoyed it. Not something I'd pick up for myself. Before that I'd read and enjoyed The Tattooer  of Auschwitz, which I thoroughly recommend.
5. Only at number five? Here we go then. I'm thankful that we have enough to eat, especially when I think that so many don't have much even in this country.  Food banks don't seem to touch the  tip of the iceberg. I would hate to think that anybody didn't have enough to eat.
6. And, along the same lines, I'm so thankful that we have a house (home) to live in. This time of year is deadly for the homeless, literally. Many die from being out in these cold months. But it's not just have a home, it's being able to afford to put the heating on , at least for a little while in during the winter. And those who need it most, namely the elderly, who spend the majority of their time indoors, are the ones sometimes, who are least able to afford  to keep warm.
7. Only three more to go. Number seven , but actually first on my list, because it is just me. I'm so thankful for my faith. And for God who believes in me. Something a friend said comes to mind. Her son said I'm not going to pray, I don't believe in your God anymore, it's all rubbish. She turned to him and said, well, that's ok, because God still believes in you. Magic...
8. I am thankful for my parents and my grandparents who have gone before me. They have made me who I am . Some very special people there
9. I ma thankful for birdsong . I can hear it as I sit here writing and it cheers my spirit no end.
10.And I am hugely thankful for people creating blog posts like this one - TTOT - that I can get involved with and that wakes up my little grey cells.

So, thank you everyone. I can't wait to see all your posts and see what you are all thankful for.

Ten Things of Thankful

25th Mar 2018

My ten things of thankful for this week:

1. I had a  spiritual uplift on a morning of recollection . A quiet time to put things in order with myself and my God and to learn how to live more in the moment .

2. I am thankful for the priest who is always inspired to share a beautiful wisdom about living as a Christian in the world today.

3. And for the friends there who share the same Faith and are walking the same path. We have an incredible bond
4. On the same day on the way home, I enjoyed a walk by the Thames, taking in the reflected images on the glittering water, so pretty in the afternoon sun.

5. On the train journey home I met a lady who was full of life and gave  me some great entertainment  with her chatter and friendliness

6. A few days later I was asked by a friend to help her when she went into hospital for a minor op. She only wanted me to collect her but I felt honoured that she felt able to ask me .

7. When we got to her place she was a bit unsteady so I stayed with her and enjoyed a few hours of tea , biscuits and chatter.  It was a pleasure to be able to be of some service to her., especially as I know how difficult she found it to ask me. And it made me think that in general in society we need to help each other more and not expect that someone else will step up . We are the ones

8.I was so thankful this week that my son and his fiance , who have been living with us for a year, are finally going to be able to move out. We had the walk around of their new house on wednesday and next week they get the keys. There is a lot to do so they won't be out for another few weeks, but the end is in sight for them and for us!

9. And I am so thankful that i made it to the writing workshop this week. I have missed so many friday afternoons. But I have been so grumpy about not getting to my writing that I decided that it was going to be a priority. I always have a struggle to get to it and did have to miss an extra choir practice ( It's Easter soon!). And that is the reason I'm here writing this now. Because I've been energised. I needed it.

10.And the biggest thankful is that it was a dear friend's 50th birthday and her and I and three other dear friend's celebrated by going away for the night. I could have spent the whole ten thankfuls on just this one thing. So much joy - walking by the sea together, having a meal together ( by the way the food was excellent - I had sea food chowder which is a huge dose of thankful in itself), talking together, drinking together - All so good...

There you are folks ...